Wire twister and splicer.



PATENTED MAR.- 29, 1904.,

N 0 S P M I S W L WIRE TWISTER AND SPLICER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 21, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Patented'March 29, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

LESLIE W. SIMPSON, OF BETTERAVIA, CALIFORNIA.

WIRE TWISTER ANb SPLICEIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,148, dated March 29, 1904. Application filed December 21, 1903. Serial No. 186,093. (No model.)

To all whom it ritay concern: I

Be it known that I, LEsL1E W.,-Snvn soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Betteravia, in the county of Santa Barbara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Twisters and Splicers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertain's to make and use the same.

My invention is an improved wire twister and splicer adapted for use in constructing and repairing wire fences and for other purposes; and it consists in the construction and combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wire twister and splicer embodying my improvements, showing the cap open. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the cap closed. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the reverse side of the same, said figure being also a partial sectional view to disclose the spring-pressed pawl. Fig; 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line a a of Fig. 2.

In the construction of my improved wire twister and splicer I employ a handle-lever 1, which is provided at one end with a fork 2, comprising a pair of arms 3, the inner sides of which form when the outer ends of the said arms are bent inwardly nearly a complete circle, the said fork and arms forming a bearing for a cylindrical revoluble twistinghead 4:. The latter has an annular groove 5 to receive the arms 2. One end of the twisting-head, which projects beyond one side of the lever-handle, is formed or provided with a ratchet-wheel 6. The lever-handle has a lateral offset 7, provided with an opening 8, which is radial with reference to the twistinghead and in which is seated a longitudinallymovable pawl 9. A spring 10 bears against the inner end of the said pawl and keeps the same in engagement with the ratchet-wheel of the twisting-head. The latter has atransverse cylindrical opening 11, which extends entirely therethrough from .end to end. A

5 radial slot 12, which also extends from end to end of thetwisting-head, extends from the said opening 11 to. the periphery of the twisting-head onone side.

A radial notch 13 of a size adapted to receive the wire extends from the opening 11 in the twisting-head to the periphery thereof and is in line with and opposite to the slot 12 and is in the opposite end of the twistinghead from the ratchet-wheel 6.

That end of the twisting-head which is provided with the notch 13 is also provided with a cap 14, which is semicircular in shape, or substantially so, is pivotally connected to the twisting-head, as at 15, has. in one of its edges a notch 16, which is adapted to lie radially partly across the opening 11 in the twisting-head when the cap is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, is further provided with a notch 17 which is concentric with said opening 11 when the cap is in its closed position, and said cap is further provided with a thumb-piece or finger-piece 18, whereby it may be turned on its pivot at a point opposite the pivot 15 with a screw-stud 19, adapted to clear the notch 17, and on which is a winged nut 20, adapted to engage the cap to lock the same in the closed position. (Shown in Fig. 2.)

To splice a pair of wirestogether, the same are caused to overlap a few inches, and their overlapping ends are then slipped into the opening 11 of the twisting-head through the slot 12. The end of one of the wires ,is bent at right angles and disposed in the notch 13. The cap is then closed to the position shown in Fig. 2 to retain the end of one of the wires in the notch 13 and to engage the other wire with its notch 16, so as to center the said wire in the opening 11. The twisting-head is then rotated by turning the handle-lever around the wires, the spring-pressed pawl by coaction with the ratchet-wheel causing the twistinghead to turn with the handle-lever, and this causes the wire which is disposed in the notch.

13 to be coiled around the other wire. as will be readily understood. The device is then disengaged from the wires by first opening the cap and reengaged with the wires in a reverse position and operated as before, so as to coil the end of the remaining wire around the other, thus completing the splice.

Too

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

. what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A wire twister and splicer, comprising a handle-lever, having a bearing open on one side, a twisting-head revoluble in said bearing, having a centrally-disposed opening extending from end to end thereof, a slot coextensive in length therewith extending from said opening to the periphery of the twisting-head, the latter being further provided at one end with a notch extending from said central openingto its periphery, means to lock the twistinghead to the lever-handle, and a cap on the twisting-head to close the notch thereof, said cap having a notch to engage a wire and center the same in the twisting-head.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LESLIE W. SIMPSON. Witnesses:

W. E. MISCALL, E. E. ORR. 

